NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES A RESEARCH DIVISION OF NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY NMBGMR Open-File Geologic Map 285 Last Modified June 2020

Correlation of Map Units Description of Map Units

104°30'0"W 104°27'30"W 104°25'0"W 104°22'30"W 490000 548000 549000 550000 500000 551000 552000 553000 510000 554000 A 555000 556000 520000 557000 558000 QUATERNARY Capitan Formation 32°15'0"N Py Qy 32°15'0"N Qy Py Qyc Capitan Formation—From a distance this unit exhibits a weekly Qy Py Qy Holocene Ochoan Pcp Pt Py Qyc Qy Py Holo. developed inclined layering that dips southeastward between ~15° and 000 Holocene Sedimentary Deposits Castile Formation Alluvial Alluvial Deposits 3568 Pt Qy Deposits Holocene 4 Holocene Psr Qyc Qyc 000 3568000 30°. This layering is more pronounced closer to the . In Qy Qy Pt Qy 0 Active channel deposits—Predominantly unconsolidated sand and Castile Formation—Composed of alternating regular laminae and thin Py 0 Qyc Pc Qy Pt 0 Qs outcrop, most exposures appear massive and structureless. A faint Qy 4 0 gravel dominated by clasts of carbonate surrounded by a silty to sandy beds of dark-colored and light- colored anhydrite. Layering is mostly Pt 0 Qy Psr 02 8 Qy brecciated texture is visible locally where angular clasts of dolomite of 3 carbonaceous matrix. Mostly devoid of vegetation though some low contorted and is rarely consistent for more than a few meters. Both 04 03 01 Qyc e n 05 04 03 e n Qss e e

Pt c Py c all sizes are strongly cemented by different generations of carbonate. Qy 06 terraces typically less than 1 m above the active channel contain weak stream-cut exposures and upper surface exposures show abundant t o Py t o Coarse-grained light yellow palisade calcite spar commonly fills c e n c e n Qsl Features soil horizons and thicker vegetation. Thickness unknown but probably brittle deformation cracks, many of which on the surface are filled with 00 Qy 40 Qy Qy Qy Dissolution l o Pt l o dissolution fissures and cracks. of sponge and brachiopod Qyc Qy less than several meters. fine sediment. As mapped, many areas underlain by anhydrite are Psr Qyc Py Qy Qsc H o H o extensively mantled by a thin layer of alluvial and eolian deposits a fragments are locally visible. Forms steep slopes and imposing cliffs. 0 0 38 This unit represents the fragmented debris shed from the ancient reef a n d P l e i s a n d P l e i s Ql Older Holocene sedimentary deposits—These deposits are composed few cm thick. Low widely spaced dunes are visible on some of these Qy Qy Qy 3567000 Py down into the Delaware basin. 000 of weakly to strongly indurated sand and gravel in a silty to sandy surfaces.

3567 Quaternary Older Older Alluvial Qm Alluvial Deposits Qy Pt Deposits 450000 Qy 450000 carbonaceous matrix. They form terraces typically between 1–3 meters Py Qy Bell Canyon Formation Py QTc2 above the active channel deposits. Most terraces have well developed Quaternary Fine-grained sandstone/siltstone member of the Bell Canyon and Tertiary silty soil that supports abundant vegetation, particularly grasses. Artesia Group Pbcs Pt QTc1 Deposits Qy Pt Formation—Thin-bedded to laminated planar beds of siltstone and Pt Sedimentary Estimated thickness up to 5 meters. This group probably contains the Tansill Formation, the , and Ql fine-grained sandstone. Typically erodes into smooth slopes. Fresh Qy the Seven Rivers Formation, but the merging and pinch-out of these formations Py Qy 10 surfaces are commonly light-mustard yellow in color. 09 10 11 12 Pt 09 against the Capitan Formation does not allow for these units to be easily 07 08 Qy Castile Holocene and Pleistocene Ochoan Pc Formation Dissolution Features distinguished from one another. The Artesia Group here forms the well bedded 3566000 Qy 40 Tansill Queen and Grayburg Formations, undivided 00 000 Pt Sinkholes—Most of these features form shallow depressions filled dolomite and interbedded siltstone/fine- grained sandstone layers that overlie 3566 Formation Qs a a Queen and Grayburg Formations, undivided—Queen and Grayburg Qy y o n 000 y o n Pqg s i Py s i with fine-grained silt and clay that supports the growth of grasses and the Capitan Formation. The siliciclastic layers thin and pinch out to the Pt 4

Yates a t i o n e e t Py t Pcp Pbcs Formations, undivided. This unit is present in the cross section only. r o u p Qy Py Formation r o u p other vegetation. Most of these features are sub-circular are range from southeast against the Capitan Formation. Bedding merges gradually with the Pt Capitan G G Formation A r Qy A r F o r m B e l C a n Pt Seven Rivers B e l C a n Qy Pt Psr several meters across to tens of meters across. The majority of these underlying massive Capitan Formation. Fossils are rare. Beds locally show faint Qsl Qy Formation Qsl Goat Seep Formation Permian QTc1 QTc2 Queen and Goat Seep Cherry features occur in the older sedimentary deposits ( and ) that subhorizontal fenestrae that may have been originated as algal matts. Locally Guadalupian Pqg Grayburg Pgs Pcc Canyon Goat Seep Formation—Upper unit; mostly , in part 4000 Formation overlie the anyhydrite of the Castile Formation (Pc) where they contains thin beds of pisoliths. Pgs Qy Qy Frms. Formation dolomitic, in part sandy, mostly thick bedded, massive, light gray to Qy Qyc Bone Springs probably represent the surface expression of collapsed dissolved Pbs Formation Qy Leonardian brownish yellow; sandstone interbeds more abundant downward; Psr Qy Qy Qy caverns that have filled with sediment. Tansill Formation Qy 3565000 poorly preserved marine fossils; thickness is from 200+ to 1,200 ft. 000 Tansill Formation—Mostly light gray dolomite and minor thin dark Py 3565 Pt Lower unit; mostly sandstone, very fine to fine grained, soft, brownish Qy Pt Disappearing streams—These features are near-vertical caverns in the tan siltstone beds. Dolomite beds are mostly thick-bedded and massive Qss yellow to pink; sone units of limestone, cherty, sandy, thin bedded, Psr Qy Qy Py anhydrite of the Castile Formation (Pc) into which local streams drain though locally faint layering within beds is defined by sub-horizontal 15 Qy 14 Qy Qy Qy brown, limestone more abundant in Guadalupe Mtns; forms moderate 16 13 Qy Qy 17 16 15 and disappear without apparent external drainage locations. fenestrae. No fossils are obvious. The lower portion of this unit forms a Qy slope; silicifed marine fossils; thickness is from 150 to 300 ft. This unit Qy Qy Qy Pt 0 18 20 prominent cliff that overlies the uppermost slope-forming thick Qy 4 is present in the cross section only. Qy Qy Externally drained collapse features—These few features are larger siltstone layer of the underlying Yates Formation. Close to the reef front Qy Ql Py Qsl than unit Qs. They are circular in shape and form depressions that (unit Pcp) the unit contains some teepee structures, but fewer than in Cherry Canyon Formation Qy 4000 have been breached by external drainage. These features are typically the immediately underlying Yates Formation. Some beds contain Qy Cherry Canyon Formation—Sandstone, siltstone, and limestone. 3564000 much deeper than the smaller sinkhole depressions of Qs and are abundant pisoids (or pisoliths), but overall pisoids are less abundant in Pcc 3564000 Mostly very fine-grained quartz sandstone and siltstone, mostly found in the southeast corner of the map within unit QTc2 and in the the Tansill Formation in the quadrangle than within the Yates noncalcareous, in part shaly, mostly thin bedded, some varvelike 440000 440000 Pt northern portion of the map within dolomite. Formation. Pt bedding and ripple marks, irregularly bedded channel fillings

32°12'30"N 32°12'30"N

T024ST024SR024ER024E T024S R025E T024S T024S R025E T024S common in lower two-thirds. Locally persistent thin quartzite beds in Qy Cave—Only one feature contains this map label—the opening to Yates Formation Qsc lower part. Sandy limestone in thin beds, lenses, and nodules in a few Qy Carlsbad Caverns. It was given its own map label because of its size Yates Formation—Interbedded dolomite and siltstone/fine-grained Qsl Py places. Limestone, thin to thick bedded, some sandstone interbeds. Pt 4200 and significance. sandstone. Characteristically contains many more interbeds of dark Qy Western Apache Mountains; interbedded dolomite, limestone, and fine Pt yellow-weathering siltstone and fine-grained sandstone than does the 4 to very fine-grained dolomitic sandstone; basal 50 ft. exposed. 6 22 000 21 0 23 24 Older Alluvial Deposits overlying Tansill Formation. Dolomite is typically massive and 3563 0 19 20 21 22 000 Thickness 1,000 ft. This unit is present in the cross section only. 3563 Late Pleistocene sedimentary deposits—Contains poorly sorted, fenestrate, and commonly weathers a dark tan color compared to the Pt Ql Pt angular to subrounded material from boulders to sand and silt lighter gray weathering of the Tansill Formation. In Walnut Canyon the Py Qy Leonardian 0 Explanation of Map Symbols composed dominantly of dolomite locally derived from the nearby unit contains abundant beds of pisoids (or pisoliths) interbedded with Py 46 0 Bone Spring Formation Qy Py Pt bedrock and strongly cemented by carbonate. This unit forms small dolomite. Teepee structures are locally abundant, particularly within a Bone Spring Formation—Bone Spring Formation, this unit is present terrace remnants between the younger Holocene deposits (Qy) and few hundred meters of the Capitan Formation. Pbs 48 4000 Qy 0 0 Qy Pt in the cross section only. Qy Contact—Identity and existence are certain or older alluvial deposits (Qm).

0 Qy

0 Seven Rivers Formation 4 4 questionable where querried. The location accurate where Qy 6 5 Qy Middle Pleistocene sedimentary deposits—Contains poorly sorted, Seven Rivers Formation—Exposed only in the far northwest corner of 3562000 Qy Ql solid, approximate where dashed. Qm Psr Qy 3562000 angular to subrounded material from boulders to sand and silt the map. Thick-bedded gray dolomite occurs in rather massive beds Qy 4000

Pt Qy Qy Qy Qy Py Pt Generic Fault—Identity and existence are certain. The composed dominantly of carbonate and is strongly cemented by between 1–3 meters thick separated by thin partings. From a distance, Qy Qy Ql Pt Qy 4 carbonate. North of the reef front (unit Pcp) the unit is mapped as the formation appears regularly bedded and conspicuously contains 0 00 location is accurate where solid, approximate where Qy Qy Qy Qy Qy Qyc Qy Py dashed, and concealed where dotted. small remnants of alluvial that mantle steep slopes. South of the reef very few siltstone/fine-grained sandstone beds up to a few tens of Pt 27 Pt Qyc 30 Ql Qy Qy 28 26 Pt Pt front the unit forms irregularly shaped mesas that are lower in centimeters thick, mostly in the lower portion of the exposed outcrops. 25 0 Pt Qy Qy Qy 28 27 Qy Qy 38 0 Pt Qy Pt 29 Qy elevation than QTc1 or QTc2, suggesting they are younger than the Forms cliffs and steep ledgy slopes. Qy Qy Py Normal fault—Identity and existence are certain. The Qy Qy Qy Qy location is accurate where soild and approximate where later two units. Qy Qy Pt Qy Pt Pt 0 Py 0 Qy Pt Qy 2 dashed. 000 Qy 4 Ql 3561 Qy Qy Qy Pt 3561000 QUATERNARY OR TERTIARY Pt Qy Qy

Qy 0 0 Qy Qy Py Qy Anticline—Identity and existence are certain. Location is Quaternary or Tertiary Sedimentary Deposits 4 0 430000 Qy 6 Qy 430000 accurate where solid, approximate where dashed, and Quaternary or Tertiary sedimentary deposits, younger Qy Qy Qy Qy Qy 4000 QTc2 0 Pt concealed where dotted. unit—Composed of poorly sorted, subrounded to rounded clasts of 460 Qy Pcp 44 Qy Qy Pt 00 Py Qy Pcp carbonate from silt and sand size to large cobbles. Exposures are poor Qy 4400 5 Qy Qy Antiform—Identity and existence are certain, and location except where exposed in stream cuts. Top surfaces are commonly Pt Qy Qy is concealed. mantled with fine-grained eolian deposits a few cm thick. Slopes are Pcp Qy Pt Qsc Qy Qy 00 38 Qy mantled with regolith. Stream-cut exposures are strongly cemented by 3560000 Qyc 3560000 Syncline—Identity and existence are certain. Location is carbonate. This younger unit is slightly lower in the landscape than Qy 33 Ql

Py QTc2 460034 35 Ql Ql accurate where solid, approximate where dashed, and QTc1 and tends to form mostly rather flat constructional surfaces and 36 31 32 33 Ql Pcp Ql 34 0 Ql concealed where dotted. 60 Ql rounded ridges. 4 Ql Qyc QTc2 Ql

QTc2 Ql

0 0 0 0 Pcp Ql Ql Ql Ql Ql Horizontal bedding Quaternary or Tertiary sedimentary deposits, older unit—Composed 2 QTc2 Ql Ql Qy QTc1 4 Ql QTc2 Ql Ql QTc2 Ql QTc2 0 Qy of poorly sorted, subrounded to rounded clasts of carbonate from silt 400 Ql Qy Ql QTc2 Ql Qs Ql QTc2 Ql Inclined bedding showing strike and dip. and sand size to large cobbles. Exposures are poor except where Ql Ql Qy QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 T024S R024E Ql QTc2 exposed in stream cuts. Top surfaces are commonly mantled with Ql Ql Ql Ql Ql 32°10'0"N T024S R025E 32°10'0"N T025S R024E QTc2 3559000 QTc2 Gently inclined (between 0° and 30°) bedding, as fine-grained eolian deposits a few cm thick. Slopes are mantled with Pcp QTc2 T025S R025E 3559000 QTc2 Ql QTc2 determined remotely or from aerial photographs. regolith. Stream-cut exposures are strongly cemented by carbonate. QTc2 Qs QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 This older unit is slightly higher in the landscape than QTc2 and forms QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 Ql Ql QTc2 QTc2 A A’ Ql QTc2 Ql QTc2 QTc2 Qy Cross section line rounded ridges and locally rather flat constructional surfaces. Ql QTc2 Qy Ql QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 QTc2

QTc2 QTc2 Qyc Ql QTc2 Ql Ql QTc2 Ql Qs QTc2 QTc2 01 Qy 05 Qy Ql Ql Ql QTc2 QTc1 QTc2 Qs Qy 04 03 Ql Ql 02 QTc2 QTc2 QTc2 QTc1 Qm Ql Ql 06 Qy 04 QTc2 03 Ql QTc2 Qy Ql QTc1 Qy Qy QTc2 Ql Qm QTc2 QTc2 Ql Ql Qs Pc QTc2 3558000 Qyc Qy 3558000 Ql Pc Pcp Ql Qy Pc QTc2 Qy Ql QTc2 Qyc Qyc Qs Pc Pc Qy Qy Qy QTc1 QTc2 Qs QTc2 Qs 420000 QTc1 Qs Pc Qy Ql 420000 Qm Ql Ql Qs QTc1 QTc1 Qm Qs Qy QTc2 QTc2 QTc1 Ql Qy QTc2 QTc2 Qs Pc Qy Qm QTc1 Ql Ql Qy Ql Pc Qyc Ql Qy Qyc QTc2 Ql QTc2 Qyc Ql QTc2 Ql Qm Qy Pc Qs QTc1 Pc Qy QTc1 Qss Qs Pc Qs Qm QTc1 Qm Qy Qs Qm QTc2 3557000 Pc Pc Qss QTc2 QTc2 000 QTc1 QTc2 Qs 3557 800 QTc2 Qy Qs 3 Qs Qm Qy

T025S R024E 3 Qs Pc T025S R025E QTc2 Qy 600 Pc Pc Pc Pc 09 10 11 12 QTc1 Qm Qs Qs Qm 07 08 09 10 Qs Pc Qy QTc1 Qm Qm Qs 3800 Qm Qss Pc QTc2 Qs Qyc Qm Qs Qs QTc1 Qm QTc1 Qss QTc2 Qyc Qs Qs QTc2 Qss Qm Qs QTc2 Qs Qs Pc Qss Qs Qs Qm 3556000 QTc1 Qm Qs Qm 000 Qs Qs QTc1 3556 Qy QTc1 QTc1 Qs Qm Qy Qs Ql Qs QTc2 Qy Qs Qs Pc Pc QTc1 Qs Qs Qs Qs Qm QTc2 Pc QTc1 Qs Qm Qs Qs Pc Qm Qm Qs Qs Qy QTc2 QTc1 Pc Qs Qm Qs Qs Qs Qs Qsl Qyc Qs Qm Qm Qm Qs QTc1 3800 Pc Qm Ql 16 Qy 15 Qs 14 13 Qm 15 3555000 18 17 Qyc 16 Qs 3 Qm 8 3555000 0 Qs QTc1 Qy 0 Ql Pc Qm Qm QTc2 Qyc Qy Pc Qm Pc 410000 Qy Qm QTc2 410000 Pc Qyc Qm Qy QTc1 Qs QTc1 Qy Qy Qy Qm QTc2 QTc2 Qm Pc QTc2 32°7'30"N 32°7'30"N 490000 548000 549000 550000 500000 551000 552000 553000 510000 554000 A’ 555000 556000 520000 557000 558000 104°30'0"W 104°27'30"W 104°25'0"W 104°22'30"W

Base map from U.S. Geological Survey 2020. North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) 1:24,000 Projection and 1,000-meter grid: Universal Transverse Mercator, Zone 13S, shown in blue. 10,000-foot ticks: New Mexico Coordinate System of 1983(east zone), shown in red. 1 0.5 0 1 Mile Roads...... U.S. Census Bureau, 2015–2016 Names...... GNIS, 2016 Hydrography...... National Hydrography Dataset, 2014 Contours...... IFSAR 4.5 m Digital Terrain Model, 2008 1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 Feet Wetlands...... FWS National Wetlands Inventory 1977–2014

1 0.5 0 1 Kilometer

Bandanna Point Carnero Peak Kitchen Cove Contour Interval 40 Feet Comments to Map Users North American Vertical Datum of 1988 A geologic map displays information on the distribution, nature, orientation, and age relationships of rock and deposits and the occurrence of structural features. Geologic Serpentine Carlsbad Black River and fault contacts are irregular surfaces that form boundaries between different types or Geologic Cross Section A–A' Bends Caverns Village New Mexico New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources ages of units. Data depicted on this geologic quadrangle map may be based on any of the following: reconnaissance field geologic mapping, compilation of published and Open-File Geologic Map 285: 1st of a 2-year mapping effort unpublished work, and photogeologic interpretation. Locations of contacts are not Grapevine A A' Rattlesnake Jumping Draw Springs Spring surveyed, but are plotted by interpretation of the position of a given contact onto a Magnetic Declination July, 2019 topographic base map; therefore, the accuracy of contact locations depends on the scale North South 7º 10' East of mapping and the interpretation of the geologist(s). Any enlargement of this map could 6,000 At Map Center 1,750 Mapping of this quadrangle was funded by a matching-funds grant from the STATEMAP program of the cause misunderstanding in the detail of mapping and may result in erroneous Quadrangle Location interpretations. Site-specific conditions should be verified by detailed surface mapping National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Act (Fund Number: G19AC00226), administered by the U. S. 5,000 Geological Survey, and by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, (Dr. Nelia W. or subsurface exploration. Topographic and cultural changes may not be shown due to 1,500 Dunbar, Director and State Geologist; Dr. J. Michael Timmons, Assoc. Director for Mapping Programs). recent development. Pt Pt Qy Qy Pt Pt 4,000 Pt Qy 1,250 Qy Py Cross sections are constructed based upon the interpretations of the author made from Qy QTc1 New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources geologic mapping, and available geophysical, and subsurface (drillhole) data. Cross 1,000 3,000 Pc New Mexico Tech sections should be used as an aid to understanding the general geologic framework of Psr the map area, and not be the sole source of information for use in locating or designing 750 801 Leroy Place Socorro Geologic Map of the Carlsbad Caverns Pcp New Mexico 87801-4796 wells, buildings, roads, or other man-made structures. 2,000 500 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Eddy County, The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources created the Open-file [575] 835-5490 1,000 Geologic Map Series to expedite dissemination of these geologic maps and map data to Pbcs 250 Pqg the public as rapidly as possible while allowing for map revision as geologists continued Mean sea Mean sea This and other STATEMAP quadrangles are available for free download in New Mexico to work in map areas. Each map sheet carries the original date of publication below the level level in both PDF and ArcGIS formats at: map as well as the latest revision date in the upper right corner. In most cases, the in feet Pgs meters original date of publication coincides with the date of the map product delivered to the -250 -1,000 Pcc http://geoinfo.nmt.edu National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP) as part of New Mexico’s Pbs June 2020 STATEMAP agreement. While maps are produced, maintained, and updated in an -500 ArcGIS geodatabase, at the time of the STATEMAP deliverable, each map goes through cartographic production and internal review prior to uploading to the Internet. Even if by additional updates are carried out on the ArcGIS map data files, citations to these maps should reflect this original publication date and the original authors listed. The views Steven J. Skotnicki and conclusions contained in these map documents are those of the authors and should Digital layout and cartography by the NMBGMR Map Production Group: not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or Phil L. Miller and Amy L. Dunn 281 W. Amoroso Dr., Gilbert, AZ 85233 implied, of the State of New Mexico, or the U.S. Government.